Diane in Oregon, Orthognathic Surgery

[Guest guest]

Diane in Oregon,

>I believe I have the retrognathic mandible you were describing. Is

this basically a recessed lower jaw?

Yes, it is a recessed lower jaw. My OD stated as a teenager my

lower jaw never kept with the growth of the upper jaw. I have a

very small mouth, too. (Something my husband would question It

seems to run on my mother's side of the family.

It sounds like you might have sleep apnea. I had symptoms for years

and when I lived in California they sent me home with monitor

(oxyger saturation and heart rate). The problem with that screening

test was the didn't turn off the alarm, so every time my oxygen sat.

dropped to 80 the alarm went off and woke me up and then it went

back to normal. The concluded the test was normal. Yeah, sure it

was! That was in about 1997.

We later moved here to TX and then in 2002 I was having major health

problems, so I went out Mayo Clinic in Arizona. They did another

screening and concluded there was a problem and suggested I see a

pulmonologist. A sleep study was ordered and they concluded I had

severe sleep apnea. I tried to use a CPAP, however, I could never

get a full face mask (I couldn't use nasal mask as I breathed

through my mouth) to fit properly. It always leaked air and if I

tightened it to stop leaks I ended with sores on my face. I finally

gave up and asked for other alternatives. The pulmonologist

referred me to the OS. [My husband has sleep apnea, too, but can

tolerate a nasal mask.]

That's how I eventually got into the braces & this orthognathic

surgery. I'm been so tired some days, it's all I can do get through

the day. I felt if I were to live another 30 years (I'm 62), I

wanted a better " quality of life " . So the brace/surgery saga began.

Now that I'm on the other side of the surgery and finally feeling

better, I know I made the right decision.

No surgery is not without its risks, but " life " is a risk. We never

know what is in store for us. I had a battle with breast cancer 15

yrs ago (cancer free for 15 yrs), and I had to make a choice on

mastectomy vs lumpectomy, and risks of radiation and chemotherapy.

But as I do most major decisions, I researched (I had access to

university medical center library at the time - Internet wasn't much

then) everything I could. When I finally had all the facts, I made

my decision.

I would definitely get a sleep study done. If you have sleep apnea

the insurance is more likely to pay for your jaw surgery. Maybe you

can arrange to have the sleep study done on a visit to Seattle, like

you said.

Good luck with your OS and all. If you have questions, feel free to

ask me.

Shirley